title: Expression of beta-defensin genes in bovine alveolar macrophages.
abstract: Bovine alveolar macrophages (BAM) were examined for the expression of beta-defensins and to determine whether their expression could be upregulated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), as observed with beta-defensins expressed in bovine tracheal epithelial cells. Four beta-defensins were expressed constitutively in BAM, with bovine neutrophil beta-defensin (BNBD)-4 and BNBD-5 being the most predominant. This is the first evidence of beta-defensin gene expression in a mature myeloid cell. LPS had no effect on beta-defensin expression in BAM, even though tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) production was induced. Nonbacterial inflammatory particles had little effect on beta-defensin gene expression or TNF-alpha production in BAM. We hypothesize that constitutively expressed beta-defensins of alveolar macrophages may have a role in lung host defense.
authors.affiliation: Immunotoxicology Branch, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, USA.
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Diamond
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D002417:Cattle; D023082:Defensins; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis; D023083:beta-Defensins
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D023082:Defensins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D023083:beta-Defensins; C406410:bovine neutrophil beta-defensin 12